# Wineador Humidity issues



## Jbruno (Mar 23, 2012)

I put my humidity beads in my wineador this morning, 2lbs of Heartfelt 65RH beads. Since they were nearly all white when they arrived I added some distilled water to them to try to get the required balance between white and clear.

I put the 2lbs, in a 1lb bag and 2 1/2lb bags and put them in the wineador. My unit is reading 66 for the temp, and the temp on my hygrometer matches that. The first hygrometer I put in I placed on the bottom with the 1 lb bag. The other two bags are about halfway up. The RH reading on that hygrometer is reading 73%. It was properly calibrated, and I have added two others a short time ago. 

I have no sticks or cedar currently in the wineador, I have a couple trays due in early this week to tide me over until I can do the shelves from Forrest. 

Is this normal for the RH to be so high? After 7 hrs or so I thought that small of space should stabilize, or am I just getting anxious? How long does it normally take to stabilize the RH? Once I add the drawers later this week will I go through another period of adjustment?


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## Cigar Noob (May 22, 2011)

Seems like they were over moistened. They are not programmed to keep a certain RH, they are just pre-buffered at it. There is nothing in there to absorb moisture. Add some wood (shelves, drawers, trays, empty boxes, etc.) and cigars. The more that is in there, the bigger the buffer you create. With that being said, I have no experience with beads, only KL.


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## Jbruno (Mar 23, 2012)

That was my first thought, that with nothing in there other than plastic, metal and air, there is nothing to actually humidify, other than that small space.


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## aaron72 (Jul 14, 2011)

There will be no stabilization process with the setup you currently have. What you put in will be what you get a reading on. There is nothing in there to absorb humidity. You should wait until you get your cedar in there and then season them and then you can work on getting a stable humidity level. Once you get your drawers from Forrest, you'll have to go through the seasoning process all over again.


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## smokin_dad (Jan 25, 2012)

What was the reading before you put the beads in? I use 3lbs of beads, 1/2lbs on the bottom, 1 or so lbs in the mid and 1.5 lbs or so on top. I never moisten the mid or top, only the bottom as humidity rises. I woulds suggest drying them out, and getting the drawers seasoned and getting the wineador filled. After that, throw the dry beads in and wait a few days then moisten the bottom ones only as needed.


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## Jbruno (Mar 23, 2012)

I think the RH before was in the 40's. Think I may have over moistened. The house humidity is running about 40 or so, at least according to the hygrometers. I think maybe I'll take my two 1/2lb bags out for now, if left our they should dry out in a 40 RH house, correct? My temp. drawers should be in Tuesday, so I will season them and add them in and keep working on it.


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## yellowv (Dec 24, 2011)

Always try your beads dry first and see what you get. In many cases you don't need to add water at all. Dry your beads and get some cedar in there and try again.


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## Flapjack23 (Jan 18, 2012)

I've made that mistake too, beads look white so I add a spritz or two of water and the humidity goes from 65% to 68%-70%. I'm finding I don't need to mess with them much.


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## Jbruno (Mar 23, 2012)

Best idea for drying them?


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## falconman515 (Jul 10, 2011)

Cigar Noob said:


> Seems like they were over moistened. They are not programmed to keep a certain RH, they are just pre-buffered at it. There is nothing in there to absorb moisture. Add some wood (shelves, drawers, trays, empty boxes, etc.) and cigars. The more that is in there, the bigger the buffer you create. With that being said, I have no experience with beads, only KL.


*This *



yellowv said:


> Always try your beads dry first and see what you get. In many cases you don't need to add water at all. Dry your beads and get some cedar in there and try again.


* And This*


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## tysalem (Dec 31, 2011)

Jbruno said:


> Best idea for drying them?


I would recommend that you separate the wet from the dry beads and spread the wet ones out on a few plates to dry them out. This may take a few days. I don't have any experience with beads since I use kitty litter for my humidification, but I'm guessing that they are fairly similar. Like others have said, you won't get a stabilized environment until you get your boxes, shelves, and some cigars in there.


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## Jbruno (Mar 23, 2012)

Dried them out, and the humidity seems much better. Pretty sure it was a case of over moistening. Trays due in from FedEx tomorrow so that should do a good job a creating a better environment in there. 

Thanks for all the help!


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## TKE174 (Nov 19, 2011)

I have questions rather than an answer. I too have a wineador with a sudden change in Rh using KL now got rid of the beads. After 2 days of 100% humidity (rain) my readings went from Rh of 64% to 70% temp is still at 65 degrees not pluged in. Does placement of drawers and shelves have that much affect on Rh? Does KL get saturated from outside ambient moisture. All three hydrometers have been salt calibrated variance +/- 1-2% each corollate with eaach other. Thank you all for any advice


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## Jbruno (Mar 23, 2012)

Well, I now have some sticks and a couple of trays in there and it seems like the humidity has leveled out around 64-66%, depending on the placement of the hygrometer. Odd thing though, prior to adding beads, sticks, & trays the temp on the hygro's was spot on 66with the door temp on the Newair. Now that temp has dropped a few degrees.


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